Electric switch



F. C. DE REAMER.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATiON FILED JULY I8, 1918.

Patented Oct. 25, 1921..

Fig. 2.

e o tbn t ne/ t W w n wfi 1 H such switches and the like,

FRANK C. DE REAMER, OF SCHENECTADY,

TRIO COMPANY, A CORP NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELEC- ORA'IION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC 'swn'cn.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK C. DE REAMER, a citizen of the United States, Schenectady, in the county State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electrical switches of the tumbler type and actuating means for and it comprises Various novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts that will appear from my description hereinafter of the best embodiment at present known to me, while its scope will be indicated in my claims. Among the advantages obtainable in connection with the invention are compactness, ruggedness, and simplicity of the mechanism; quickness and reliability of action, permitting relatively heavy currents to be handled safely; and ease and cheapness of manufacture. The embodiment hereinafter described is especially intended for actuation by the foot in connection with vacuum cleaners; but its utility is by no means limof Schenectady,

.ited to this particular application or mode of actuation.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a switch constructed in accordance with my invention, at a plane corresponding to the line 11 in Fig. 3. 7

Fig. 2 is a similar View at right angles to Fig. 1, at a plane corresponding to the line 22 in Fig. 3, the outer casing being removed and one of the interior parts partly, broken away.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the interior parts with the cover ofi, the actuating handle being also removed.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modified form of actuatin handle.

Referring to all the figures, but more especially to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the device comprises a base 5 (conveniently made of porcelain, bisque, or other insulating material) that carries the operating parts and the electrical connections; a metal cover '6, with insulating lining 7 that fits over the base and is secured by screws 8-8 that engage in nuts 9, 9 cemented into rectangular holes in the lower side of the base 5; and a tumbler member 10 of insulating material or composition that rocks to and fro in a suitable opening Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed July 18,

residing at,

Patented Oct. 25, 1921. 1918. Serial No. 245,478.

in a spherical boss portion 11 of the cover 6.

e cover 6 has -a notch for engaging a a shoulder 13 on the base 5 to insure proper assembling, and the tumbler member 10 carries a metal handle or knob 14 screwed thereon.

From Figs. 2 and 3 it'will be seen that the base 5 has upstanding post-like portions 15, 15 with an intervening depression or recess 16. At one end of the recess 16 are resilient 'contact clips 17, 17 of phosphor bronze or the like secured to binding posts 18, 18 which are mounted on the base 5 by means of screws 19, 19. The forward edges of the clips 17, 17 are slightly beveled to facilitate entrance of the pole piece between them. The current leads are brought forward through holes 20, 20 in the base 5 and secured to these posts, the under side of the base having a pair of ridges 21, 21 between which is a space to accommodate the leads, and the base 5 is provided with holes 22, 22 for screws to secure it to a vacuum cleaner or other structure.

In the switch space or opening formed by the recess 16 and the osts 15, 15 is a metal framework part 25 of wrought iron, for example) of trough-like U-shape, the upper ends of the U being bent outward to form laterally projecting lugs or ears 26, 26; this part 25 is secured in place by screws 27, 27. As will be seen from Fig. 2, the bottom and sides of the trough art 25 are provided with an opening in whic work some ofthe operating parts of the mechanism.

The pole piece 30 is of general U shape, with a wide upper portion and a narrow lower portion, whose bottom 31 is bent upward. The upper ends of the pole piece 30 are pivoted at the sides of the frame 25, as shown, by engagement in holes therein of outturned pivots 32, 32 on the frame 25. The opposite sides of the frame opening above described are so located that they may serve as stops to limit the throw of the pole piece 30.

In the frame 25 is ivoted an actuating rocker 33, consisting of a flat piece of metal with pivot tongues 34, 34 near its upper end. This rocker 33 is molded into the tumbler 10, which in effect forms a mere upward prolongation of it. Punched in pro ections 35, 35 on the frame 25 limit the movement of the rocker 33. Between the sides of the pole piece 30 is a guide member 36 which extends through a hole in the bottom of the U and has to engage and pivot on a corresponding narrow portion 38 at one side of an opening 39 in said member 33. Around the guide member 36, between the abutment 37 and the bottom portion of the pole piece 30, is a helical compression spring 40. This portion of the pole piece 30 in effect constitutes arpivot for the guide member 33 in the pole piece.

When the tumbler handle 14 is pushed to the left from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the spring 40 will be further compressed and the pole piece 30 will be held the more firmly in the position shown. Eventually, however, the line of centers 31-38 will pass from left to right of the line of centers 3232 and so the spring 40 will be allowed to expand and throw the pole piece 30 very quickly to its left-hand position of engagement between the contacts 17, 17. At the same time, the tumbler 10 and rocker 33 will be forcibly carried over to their extreme left-hand positions. Movement of the tumbler handle 14 to the right will now throw the pole piece 30 back again to the off position.

It may sometimes happen that friction of the operators foot with the edge of the handle 14 of Figs. 1 and 2 will suflice to unscrew the handle from the tumbler member 1Q. In such cases, the handle 44 shown in Fig. 4 may be employed. As shown, the handle 44 comprises a portion 45 very much like the handle 14, but with the threaded opening or bore extending clear through it.

Across this opening is a yielding abutment comprising a disk 46 of suitably resilient sheet metal, such as spring bronze some 20 mils in thickness, shown as of considerably greater diameter than the bore. The upper surface of the part 45 is slightly dished toward the bore, and the disk 46 is correspondingly dished at its edges, like an ordinary dinner plate. A sheet metal cover piece 47 is secured on the part 45 by spinning its lower edge under the swelled upper end of said part, and holds the disk 46 securely in place by engagement with its peripheral portion. The upper surface of the part 47 has a number of punched up projections 48 that. afford a good hold for the foot of the operator. When this handle 44 is screwed on the tumbler member 10, the disk 46 will be resiliently stressed by the abutting member 10 and exert considerable pressure on the screw threads, causing such friction as will effectually prevent accidental unscrewing in pedal operation. It will be observed that thisengagement of the edges of the disk 46 with the surrounding surface of the cap or cover 47 effectually prevents peripheral expansion and simple flattening of the disk, thus enhancing the stiffness of its resistance as an abutment. It is possible to screw the handle 44 on so tight by the mere friction of the hand that it cannot be removed without some extrinsic aid.

In assembling the parts of my switch the upper ends of the one-piece frame 25 are spread apart slightly to emit the pivots 34 of the rocker 33 to spring into the hearing holes formed therein and upon the springing back of said upper ends the rocker is positively retained in place. The spring 40 and its guide rod 36 are engaged with the lower end of the rocker 33 and the pole piece 30 and the latter sprung over its pivots 32 on the frame 25. The upper ends of the frame 25 are positively held in position by being bound to the upper ends of the post-like portions 15 of the porcelain base by the screws 27 and the pole piece 30 is prevented from spreading or tending to become detached from its pivots 32 by the in ner walls of said post-like portions 15 which are so positioned as to receive the frame 25 and the pivots 32 without clearance. It will accordingly readily be understood by those skilled in the art that m switch mechanism is composed of very ew parts and by reason of all those parts consisting of sheet metal unchings and designed so as to be assembled without riveting or special connections the manufacturing cost is quite nominal. Moreover on account of the broadened lower ends of the sides of the trough-shaped frame 25 being integrally united while their upper ends are secured to the tops of the posts 15 of the porcelain base, all chance of the frame becoming distorted or forced out of .proper functioning alinement by the hammer blows of the pole piece thereon or from any other cause is eliminated and in consequence of which my switch is well adapted to withstand the rough usage incident to foot operation.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A switch comprising, a base, stationary contacts thereon, a trough-shaped frame of sheet metal having apertures formed in its side members, an actuatin rocker comprising a flat metal bar provi ed with side projections pivoted in said frame apertures, a U-shaped member pivoted to the exterior of the sides of said frame and below the rocker pivots, and a spring connection between said rocker and said U-shaped member.

2. A switch comprising, a base, stationary contacts thereon, a trough-shaped frame of sheet metal, its side portions provided with apertures and spaced projections, an actuating rocker comprising a metal bar provided with side projections pivoted in the apertures of said frame and free to swing between said spaced rojections on said frame, a driven mem r pivoted to said frame below the actuating rocker pivots,-

3. A switch comprising, a base, stationary contacts thereon, a trough-shaped frame of sheet metal having an opening punched in its bottom and sides and out-turned ears at its upper ends, stops formed on the inner surfaces of the said frame sides, an actuating rocker pivoted between said frame sides and the stops thereon, a driven U-shaped member pivoted to the exterior of said frame sides below the actuating rocker pivots and limited in its swing by the portions of the frame at opposite ends of the said opening therein, and a spring connection between said actuating rocker and said driven mem her.

4. A switch comprising, a base with spaced posts thereon, stationary contacts secured to said base adjacent said posts a trough-shaped frame of sheet-metal having the upper free ends thereof bent outwardly and attached to the upper ends of the base posts, an actuating rocker comprising a flat bar having side projections pivoted in the sides of said frame, a U-shaped driven mem ber engaging pivots on the exterior of the frame sides below the rocker pivots and retained thereon by the spaced posts of said base, and a spring connection between said rocker and said driven member. V

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day of July, 1918.

FRANK C. DE REAMER. 

